The United States (US) on Wednesday vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip.
The draft resolution expressed “grave concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation, including the risk of famine”, and recalled the obligations of all parties to comply with international humanitarian and human rights law.
Slovenia proposed the draft resolution on behalf of the 10 elected members of the Security Council – Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Panama, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Slovenia – and received 14 votes.
US Chargé d’Affaires ai Dorothy Shea said before the vote that “US opposition to this resolution should not come as a surprise”.
“It is unacceptable for what it says, it is unacceptable for what it does not say and it is unacceptable for the way it is proposed,” she added, accusing Hamas of rejecting ceasefire agreements.
“Any product that undermines the security of our close ally Israel is a failure,” Shea said.
She once again asserted that “Israel has the right to defend itself” and that “it is incomprehensible that the UN has not yet designated and sanctioned Hamas as a terrorist organization.”
The US previously vetoed four draft Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The US vetoed resolutions in October 2023, December 2023, February 2024 and November 2024, while abstaining from voting on other draft resolutions.
